


Trusting Tradition

by KuribohIChooseYou



Series: Pridecember 2020 [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Atem Hates The Cold, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kaiba Is A Hot Chocolate Snob, M/M, Prideshipping, Slice of Life, Yu-Gi-Oh! Pridecember, Yu-Gi-Oh! Pridecember 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:26:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27854206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KuribohIChooseYou/pseuds/KuribohIChooseYou
Summary: Atem spends the entire day trying to warm up and stave off the chill of a typical Domino winter until Kaiba finally steps in to help.#3 - Hot Cocoa, #17 - Movie Night, #22 - Blanket
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto, Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi | Atem
Series: Pridecember 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035153
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	Trusting Tradition

Atem had always hated the cold. Sharp pinpricks always settled in his bones from the Domino winter wind and his hands could never seem to stay warm for more than seconds at a time. He had made Kaiba buy him the puffiest of winter coats and the fuzziest of socks to get him through the unbearable season as his desert blood craved the sun.

At any given moment, he was swaddled like a baby in a sea of blankets as he wandered around the Kaiba Mansion. Much like he was now. Kaiba was home, furiously typing away on his home computer with his laptop, coffee, and folders of papers covering every open space of the brown leather top of the rosewood desk. Unfortunately for Atem, he had to pass the home office to complete his task.

He knew Kaiba would see him. He knew Kaiba would stop him. Atem paced the end of the hallway, shaking out his shoulders and mentally preparing himself with a game face. Once he felt relaxed enough, Atem squared himself and walked as nonchalantly down the corridor as he could. The unrelenting clicking of keys was getting closer and closer. _Don’t be suspicious_. Atem took a deep breath and walked passed the open doorway, eyes fixed straight ahead on the door at the end of the hallway. His prize, so close, yet so far. He only had to make it a few more steps –

“If you touch the goddamn thermostat one more time, I’m sending you back to Aaru.”

_Damn_ it.

Atem retraced his steps, poking his head in through the door of the office with a practiced face of innocent confusion. “I haven’t the slightest clue what you mean.”

Kaiba looked up from the computer screen with a dubiously raised eyebrow, fingers never stopping their rapid dance across the keys. “Don’t play 3000-year-old-dumb-spirit with me. It’s already boiling in this house. Put on a sweatshirt or something, but don’t subject the rest of us to your unbearable preferences.”

Atem pouted. “I would _never_ ,” Atem began, knowing he absolutely has, “use my age as an excuse to pretend I don’t understand technology, and I’m hurt you would accuse me of such.”

“Then what were you going to do in the bedroom at,” Kaiba turned over his wrist to view his watch, “six o’clock?”

“I was going to get one of your sweatshirts.”

“Which one?”

Atem glared halfheartedly, caught in the lie. “The one that lets me make the house warmer than near-freezing.”

“It’s already nearly 73 degrees in here; if you made it any warmer, Mokuba and I would spontaneously combust.”

“Now that just sounds like an exaggeration–“

“It’s not.” Kaiba turned his full attention back to the computer, effectively ending the conversation. Atem skulked back the way he came.

* * *

An hour later, after wrapping himself up in all of the throw blankets he could find and not feeling any more relief from the cold, Atem left Mokuba on the couch to make himself something hot to drink, hoping that would help.

And that is how Kaiba found him, ransacking the pantry loudly with the electric kettle boiling water on the counter. He paused for a moment, enjoying the rather nice view, as Atem’s head was ducked and he was bent over as he searched the lower shelves.

“Looking for something?”

Atem looked over his shoulder, rolled his eyes, but didn’t bother moving and continued his search by opening a new cabinet. “Do we not have any hot cocoa?”

“Of course we do.”

“I can’t find the packets anywhere.” Atem straightened to search a higher shelf in the next cabinet, leaving the previous one still wide open, arms stretched nearly as far as they could go.

“That,” Kaiba reached around him to pluck a tin off the shelf in the still open pantry, “is because in this house, we only drink _real_ hot chocolate.”

Atem raised an eyebrow as he closed the cabinet doors. “As opposed to…?”

Kaiba pulled a small saucepan off the hanging rack. “The fake kind. I assume Yugi only uses the instant cocoa powder?”

Atem’s brow scrunched. “Is there another way to make hot chocolate?”

Mokuba walked into the then kitchen, opening the fridge to grab a snack. He passed Kaiba the carton of milk when Kaiba gestured to him. “Seto hates instant cocoa. He used to make us traditional hot chocolate all the time growing up.” Mokuba unwrapped his cheese stick, ripping it in half longways and shoving it in mouth as he continued, “It’s a million times better.”

Atem turned back to Kaiba when Mokuba left the kitchen. He had measured out three cups of milk and was heating it on the stovetop. “Will you teach me?”

Kaiba’s shoulders tensed in the middle of unwrapping the chocolate, and would have been imperceivable to a bystander, but Atem always caught his every nuance. He placed a comforting hand between his lover’s shoulder blades as he stepped forward to watch. He knew he was barging in on a memory that Kaiba only shared with Mokuba, some private thing between siblings. But while he wanted to know everything from the good and the bad, Atem knew it was infinitely easier for Kaiba to dwell on the good.

“Stir the milk so it doesn’t burn.” Kaiba nodded to the pot.

Atem picked up the wooden spoon and looked at him determined. There was a smile in his eyes. “Okay.”

Atem watched as Kaiba meticulously shaved the chocolate pieces into easily meltable, jagged morsels with a knife. A steady steam rose from the pot and Kaiba’s elbow brushed Atem’s as he moved to scrape the chocolate from the cutting board into the milk. Kaiba plucked the spoon from Atem’s hand and replaced it with a metal whisk.

Kaiba moved his body behind Atem’s then, cornering him to the stove as he wrapped his fingers around Atem’s and whisked the milk for the both of them. “Like this.” Kaiba winked over Atem’s shoulder. “Trust me. It’s incorporates better.”

Atem blushed and went about focusing on his task at hand. The loss of warmth from Kaiba’s body as he moved to grab three mugs caused a visible shiver to pass through Atem. He watched from the corner of his eye as Kaiba grabbed the whipped cream from the fridge, and a small jar from the spice rack above the stove.

“How’s it looking?” Kaiba leaned over again to inspect the melting chocolate, and nodded his head without waiting for Atem to respond. “Give it another two or three minutes.” Atem nodded, and continued his whisking.

Once Kaiba deemed the mixture perfect, he took over and poured three equal portions into the waiting mugs. He shook the can of whipped cream and made three identical swirls, then decided to add more to the last one. He picked up the spice jar and shook out a dusting of warm brown powder across the white tips of the stiff cream.

“Cinnamon?” Atem asked, cocking his head. “Really?”

“Again, trust me on this.”

Once Kaiba was satisfied with his presentation, he handed him the first mug. Atem held the mug in both hands, feeling the warmth radiate through the ceramic. Kaiba looked at him expectantly and raised an eyebrow.

Atem took a hesitant sip, being careful not to burn himself on the freshly hot liquid. The heat of the milk flared pleasantly through his body as he swallowed; the rich, heavy chocolate taste sticking to his tongue and bringing an unconscious smile to his face. There, at the end, was the subtle touch of cinnamon to cut the depth of the chocolate. It was the best hot chocolate Atem had ever had, in this life or previous.

“Okay, okay, you’re right about the cinnamon,” Atem conceded.

Kaiba bent down to press a kiss to Atem’s mouth where a stray puff of whipped cream had taken residence. Atem’s fingers tightened around his cup as Kaiba deepened the kiss briefly, long enough for a building warmth to radiate out all the way from his chest to his toes. “I know,” he replied smugly as he grabbed the remaining mugs and left the kitchen.

Atem huffed lightly at Kaiba’s teasing arrogance and followed him out. Kaiba handed the mug with the double layer of whipped cream to Mokuba and propped himself up on the opposite armrest, one leg straight and the other dangling off the cushion. Kaiba motioned just enough for Atem to get the hint and he settled himself down with his back to Kaiba’s chest. Kaiba pulled two heavy blankets down from the back of the couch and spread them across both of their legs as Atem clutched his mug and leaned his head back against his shoulder.

“Netflix?” Mokuba asked, picking up the remote. “Any requests?”

Kaiba hummed in agreement as he wrapped an arm around Atem as he said, “It’s your night to pick anyway, Mokie.”

The three of them settled comfortably in companionable silence as Mokuba searched for an adequate movie. Atem snuggled more comfortably against Kaiba’s neck and chest, and received a squeeze from the arm around his waist. He completely forgot the cold outside as he basked in feeling the warmest he had all day.

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie - I wrote this solely for Hot Cocoa, without realizing I'd incorporated two other prompts, but... it works!! (and a good thing too because I had _nothing_ for Blanket or Movie Night solo)
> 
> ~~For the record, I’m Kaiba~~
> 
> Thank you guys for the wonderful support so far! ♥ find me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kuriboh-i-choose-you)


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